In early 2025, I lost my job in the government firings. My work focused on sustainability and building a healthy future using science. When I lost my job, it felt like a rug was pulled out from under my feet. I had spent years gaining experience to qualify for that job, and it was stolen from me in an instant. I was frustrated, angry and afraid.

While I recovered and sought new work, I found myself spending hours in my garden. It was the only place where I found solace. I also spent a lot of time thinking about how I ended up where I was. Educated and accomplished, but jobless. I wanted a career that provided me freedom – freedom to sustain myself and my interests and freedom from relying on someone else to keep me employed.

I started to see my garden as a place where I could find that freedom. I dreamed of the possibility of starting a business in the field that had brought me comfort while I was frustrated, sad, and afraid. I also saw that I could use gardening to spread the message of sustainability I had dedicated my life to.

So, here I am, in my happy place, starting that business. Welcome to Once Again Gardens. A place where we start again. A place where we remember what has been lost to so many in our generation – that when we care for the land, we care for ourselves.

If you want to learn more about my journey to Once Again, I have a post all about where I came from and how I got here.